Effective Managers & Coworkers are Kind
Cathie Leimbach • August 15, 2023
“We know that managers are the single biggest determinant of employee satisfaction, performance, and perceptions of well-being,” says McKinsey partner, Emily Field. Yet, too often they are considered just cogs in a wheel, taking instructions from above and pushing the people below to get results.
Often, employees experience their manager as a task master breathing down their back or neglecting them though they need help to succeed. However, effective managers are coaches. Such leaders care about both the people and the workplace results. Here are a few ways that managers can show they care for their team members as individuals and as employees.
- Say good morning to your colleagues. Take a quick walk around the office when you arrive and say hello to several coworkers who are already there. Acknowledge those who walk past your work station as they arrive.
- When working remotely, take a few minutes in the morning to call someone who told you they had an appointment with a medical specialist yesterday and ask how it went. Or, call a colleague who has just returned from vacation and ask them to share a couple of highlights from their time away.
- When you read in the newspaper that one of your colleagues children were the MVP in a sports game or won an academic award, congratulate your colleague in-person, by phone, text, or email.
- Ask others a question about themselves or about their workplace priorities this week. Really listen to their response. Ask a few follow-up questions to learn more.
- When you know a coworker has a big deadline or an unusually taxing workload, ask how you could help. If you can only spare 30 minutes, say “I could take 30 minutes today or tomorrow to help you. What would you like me to do?
- When someone can’t get away for coffee or lunch, grab something for them when you are getting your own.
Next week is “Be Kind to Humankind Week”. How will you show kindness to the people in your life at work and beyond? Click here for 15 ways you could express kindness at work.
Most CEOs don’t wake up worrying about culture. They’re focused on growth, margins, execution. But culture quietly determines all three. Because when people feel disconnected, something subtle happens: Execution slows Ownership drops Problems surface later—and cost more Nearly a third of employees describe their workplace as isolated or impersonal. That’s not just a morale issue. That’s an execution risk . And employees don’t “love” a company because of perks. They stay committed when they feel valued. When that’s missing: Effort becomes transactional Communication becomes minimal Discretionary effort disappears The data is clear—when employees feel valued: Attendance improves Conflict decreases Productivity rises This is where many organizations misfire. They try to fix culture with initiatives. But culture is shaped in daily leadership interactions —not programs. And most leaders haven’t been trained to have regular meaningful conversations. They have been promoted to people leadership positions yet not prepared for their new roles. When untrained leaders don’t get topnotch results, it’s not due to a gap in effort or potential. It’s due to a current gap in ability. What can you do about it? Where might your workplace culture be quietly affecting execution—even if performance still “looks okay”? 👉 Join our next 45-minute Leadership Conversation— Workforce Challenges . This is not a one-way webinar. We’ll explore how culture impacts performance—and what leaders can actually do about it.
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because the root causes of disengagement are easy to miss. Right now, many employees are emotionally detached from their workplaces—and a majority are still watching for their next opportunity. But this isn’t about perks or pay. It’s about something more foundational. Less than half of employees clearly know what’s expected of them. Even fewer feel encouraged to grow, connected to purpose, or heard at work. Those aren’t surface issues. They’re leadership gaps. And they show up in everyday conversations. Engagement is built—or broken—through how leaders communicate expectations, opportunities, purpose, and voice. For example: When expectations aren’t clear, people guess and stay busy—and performance suffers. When employees don’t see how their work matters, connection fades. When leaders don’t ask for employees’ perspectives, people disengage—even if they stay. These aren’t big system failures. They’re missed conversations. The good news? What causes detachment is also what fixes it. Where could clearer, more intentional leadership conversations reconnect your team? Look at your last two workplace culture or employee engagement surveys. What do they show about how well your leaders meet employee needs? Where are leaders falling short? How do these strengths and gaps affect your bottom line? How long are you willing to accept the underperformance that follows?  Your Next Step: Click here to book a free conversation with Cathie Leimbach about discovering and/or closing leadership gaps in your organization.